PREVIEW: Melksham Town v Town

Town’s pre-season preparations continue today with a trip to Melksham Town (7:30pm Kick-Off).

The Reds made an emphatic start to their summer schedule on Saturday with a convincing 7-1 victory away at Swindon Supermarine, which included a superb hat-trick from debutant Paul Mullin.

Games are now coming thick and fast for Dave Flitcroft’s side and there is expected to be a strong team on show this evening.

A number of trialists were given the opportunity to impress against Supermarine and they could well feature again later.

However, tonight’s game will once again be all about getting minutes into the legs of each and every player and Town Assistant Manager, Ben Futcher is looking for certain things from his team.

“It is about fitness and it is an extended training session for us,” he told swindontownfc.co.uk exclusively.

“We trained hard on Monday and we’ll put the teams out tonight expecting the same commitment and attitude we saw at Supermarine.

“We were pleased with the attitude on Saturday. It was the end of a really tough week and the players took everything on board that we worked on.

“They did really well and it is always nice when the players get that first game. It was like a little bit of a carrot at the end of a tough two weeks, so they all enjoyed it and it was good to get on the pitch.

“We used it as a training session though and it is nice to win any game, but it is not the be all and end all at this stage.

“It is about what the lads are getting out of it fitness wise and making sure that we don’t pick up any injuries.”

MATCH INFO:

Tickets are available on the gate tonight and are priced at:

Adults - £7

OAPS - £5

U16’s - £2

Bar/catering facilities will be available at the Oakfields Stadium and additional parking has been arranged at the ground, but fans are advised to arrive early.

For those heading to the Oakfields Stadium, Eastern Way, Melksham by car tonight, please use postcode SN12 7FT and follow the brown signs directing you to the football club.

REPORT: Melksham Town 0-5 Swindon Town

Swindon Town made it two wins from two pre-season games this evening after beating Melksham Town 5-0 at the Oakfields Stadium.

Although there were a handful of chances, there was only one goal at half-time and it went the way of the visitors thanks to Luke Norris’ close-range finish.

Conor Thomas doubled the Reds’ lead after the interval with the rain making for tricky conditions, and he grabbed his second and third in just two games in-between efforts from Scott Twine and Paul Mullin following an impressive team performance in the second-half.

As they did for the 7-1 victory against Swindon Supermarine at the weekend, Town opted to field two different XI’s in either half.

Luke Norris led the line for the first 45-minutes with John Goddard and a trialist either side of him, while the likes of Lawrence Vigouroux, Chris Robertson and James Dunne also featured.

The Reds enjoyed plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges and they came close to taking the lead inside the opening ten minutes.

Jesse Starkey’s drive from outside the box was only parried back out into the danger zone and John Goddard was quickest to react, but he was denied on the follow-up.

One of Town’s three trialists on show then went close as he thumped a shot inches wide of the post, before he was off-target again minutes later.

It was all Swindon for large parts of the first-half and they continued to create chances with Luke Norris nodding wide after Chris Hussey’s corner was flicked into his path by Chris Robertson.

With half an hour gone, Dave Flitcroft decided to make an early change with Jordan Young replacing Starkey, and the opening goal of the game would follow just two minutes later.

A trialist forced the Melksham keeper into another stop but he was unable to keep hold of the ball and Norris was on hand to tuck home the rebound for his second goal in as many games.

It could have been 2-0 before the break after Young picked out a trialist inside the box perfectly, but the striker was unable to keep his effort on target.

Town started the second-half with a new-look XI as the likes of Will Henry, Ben Purkiss, Olly Lancashire, Conor Thomas and James Brophy all got 45 minutes under their belt.

They began the half in dominant fashion too as Lancashire nodded inches wide before Scott Twine was hauled down inside the area, although Paul Mullin’s spot-kick was kept out by the Melksham keeper.

Swindon continued to stamp their authority on proceedings and they kept on creating plenty with Twine flashing a shot just wide, before Tom Smith hammered a pile-driver inches over the bar.

However, Town’s dominance paid off just past the hour mark and their second goal arrived courtesy of Conor Thomas’ deflected strike.

A trialist then planted a strike against the post as the Reds refused to take their foot off the gas in the closing stages.

And Town would go on to finish the game with a flourish as Twine rifled in a stunning strike from 30-yards to put his side firmly in the driving seat.

James Brophy embarked on a mazy run before pulling the trigger, with his shot bouncing off the post and into the path of Thomas who tucked home his second of the night.

There was still time for one more goal too and Mullin atoned for his earlier miss from the spot to round off a good night at the office for Town.